Marathon Training Week 1 Update – HOT

A little while back, I shared with you guys that I’m running the ING NYC Marathon again this year. This will be my second marathon (I ran NYC in 2010) and my first as a Mama Marathoner!

I started my official training plan last week, and whoa, was the timing not the greatest with this heatwave we’ve been suffering in New York. Holy ugh.

Anyway, I thought I’d start checking in every Monday with how my training went for the week prior, both as a way to be accountable, and (selfishly) so I have a visual record to look back on when I’m panicking right before the race that I’m not ready! (Do all runners do this?)

So, this is how Marathon Training Week 1 went:

It was miserable out. I did two of my scheduled training runs, a 5 mile and a 6 mile, indoors on a treadmill. I normally loathe the treadmill, but since it was so hot out I probably wouldn’t have minded so much because of the wonderful, wonderful air conditioning at my gym, BUT I ran without music. I have an iPod, I just haven’t loaded any music on it yet. And my iPhone is full of Yo Gabba Gabba songs and Raffi. Not exactly playlists to run by. So definitely my goal is to get my iPod up and running with me for next week.

LONG RUN: I’ve always thought this was the number one most important workout in a training plan, so I am happy that the NYRR Virtual Trainer program that I purchased is in agreement! They actually make a special note that if you’re struggling with training in any given week, you should cut back on the intensity of your shorter runs or workouts, so as to not lose your edge and focus for the long run.

This week my long run was 8 miles.

I planned to do it early Friday morning, since that was the best time for my schedule, and I wanted to try to beat the heat. Roman wakes up without fail at 5:45am on the dot, so I figured I could be out the door by 6:15 or so. So, OF COURSE on Friday Roman decides to sleep ’til 6:45am! It was more like 7:30am when I headed out and it was pretty soupy out there. The training plan warns that at first your long run pace may seem way too slow for you – not that day, it didn’t!

I also ran what the training program calls an ‘As You Feel’ run. This means technology free. You may remember how I feel about running naked like that. Anyway, I ran that one yesterday, and it felt great. Maybe it was just because the heat had finally broken, but 5 miles seemed super easy to me. Right at the end of that run, a bird chasing another bird flew right into my legs. Were you going so incredibly fast only a flying bird could keep up with you? you ask. No, I wasn’t. And the bird was fine.

So, apart from the heat, and the bird incident, so far, so good! No little twinges or issues – I feel like I’ve been doing so much strength training in the gym that my body is in great shape to take on the added stress of a marathon training program.

 MILES FOR WEEK: 24

Is anyone else training for the NYC marathon, or a fall marathon? 

Want to be included in my marathon training updates on Mondays? 🙂 Shoot me an email with a photo or two to let me know how your previous week of training went, and I’ll include your update! Let’s train together! 🙂